Method of adjusting watches



(No Model. 4 SheetsSheet 1.

G. E. HUNTER'& P. H. OORTHELL. METHOD OF ADJUSTING WATCHES.

No. 437,203. Patented Sept. 30. 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. E. HUNTER & F. H. OORTHELL. METHOD OF ADJUSTING WATCHES;

Y No. 437,203. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

s cc.. nototuo, wan mm, D. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3-.

G. E. HUNTER & P. H. OORTHB-LL. METHOD 0F ADJUSTING WATCHES.

No. 437,203. Patented Sept. 30. 1890.

(No ModeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. E. HUNTER & F. H. GORTHBLL. METHOD OF ADJUSTING WATCHES.

Patented-Sept. 30, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

GEoRGE E; HUNTER AND FREDERICK H. CORTHELL, or ELGIN, ASSIGNORS TO THE ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF ADJUSTING WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 437,203, dated September 30, 1890.

"'0 all whom it may concern.- Be it known that we, GEORGE E. HUNTER and REDERIOK H. CoRTIIELL, of Elgin, in the ")unty of Kane, and in the State of Illinois, ,aveinvented certain new and usefulImprovenents in the Method of Adjusting WVatches; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of our recording mechanism. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively enlarged side and end elevations of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the upper end of the vibratile reed and the wheel engaged by the same. Fig. 5 is a like view of the mechanism employed for connecting and disconnecting the reed-engaged wheel with the recording mechanism, and Fig. 6 is re a perspective view of the mechanism employed for vibrating a balance in connection with the recording mechanism.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

In the manufacture of watches much difficulty has heretofore been experienced in the selection of balances and hair-springs which are adapted for use in a movement, and by the methods and mechanism in use the desired result could only be approximated.

Theobject of our invention is to render practicable the selection of a balance and a hair-spring which when combined in a watch-movement shall be so nearly adapted -3 5 for joint use and for the particular movement as to render the rate of the same substantially correct; and to this our said invention consists in the method employed, substan-' tially as and for the purpose hereinafter 4 specified.

In the carrying of our invention into practice the suitability of a balance is determined by causing it to vibrate a predetermined number of times in connection with a standard hair-spring and a suitable train and noting the time required for such vibrations, which period of time is divided into a great number of parts, so as to permit of a fine and accurate measurement of the time consumed, not only 5 by a single vibration, but by any fraction of such. vibration.

Application filed September 23, 1889- Serial No. 324,820. (N 0 model.)

For the purpose of vibrating a balance A we preferably employ an ordinary timetrain,

which is inclosed within a suitable casing B and actuated by a spring or weight. The balance-arbor 0 projects above the said casing, and is provided with a hair-spring D of standard strength, and is adapted to receive and carry a balance and to permit of the easy placing in or removing of the same from position. The time-train is provided with ordinary stop mechanism, which may be released by a push-button E, and when so released will permit the train to run until a certain number of vibrations have been made by'the balance, when further motion will be automatically arrested. The construction of said vibrating mechanism will be readily understood and requires no special description.

For measuring the length of time required for the vibrations of the balance A we employ a vibratile reed F, which is constructed from soft iron and has one of its ends secured within a suitable base G, from whence said reed projects upward, as shown. For the purpose of determining and varying the operative length of said reed its lower portion passes through a fulcrum -block H, which closely embraces andis adjustable lengthwise of the same, and issupported by or upon a standard G, that extends upward from the base G. Upon opposite sides. of the reed F are placedelectro-magne'ts I and I, which are suitably connected with a source of electric energy and operate by alternate attraction to give to said reeda vibratory motion in substantially the same manner as in case of the hammerof an electric bell. The length of time required for each vibration is determined by the operative length of said reed, and is in no manner dependent upon the strength of the electric current, so that an absolutely uniform rate of motion is obtained by the action of a current having sufficient strength to set the reed in motion. Said electro-magnets are adj ustably connected with a suitable support, so that the distance between their poles Ioo may be compensated for by adjusting the fulcrum-block ll until the sound produced by said reed has the required pitch, as determined by comparison with a tuning-fork, pitch-pipe, or other standard.

The vibrating motion of the reed F is utilized to give motion to or to permit the movement of a train of gearing in the following manner, viz: Secured to or formed upon the upper end of said reed are two pallets f and f, which are oppositely arranged and at such relative distance as to permit of the placing between of an escape-wheel K, which wheel is j ournaled upon a relatively-stationary supporting plate or frame L, and is connected with a train of wheels that actuate registerhands M and M.

As preferably arranged, the vibrations of the reed l3 through the pallets f and f cause the wheel K to have a step-by-step rotation and the registering mechanism to be actuated so as to show upon the dials thereof the number of such vibrations during a given time; but if desired said registering mechanism may be driven by a spring or weight and its motion permitted and governed by the reedaetuated escapement.

It is intended that the vibrations of the reed F and the rotation of the escape-wheel K shall be constant, and that connection between the latter and the registering-train shall be made or broken at the instant when the balance-vibrating mechanism is started or stops. This is preferably effected by means of a wheel 71, which is journaled upon one end of a pivoted bar 0 and supported in such position that while always meshing with one of the wheels P of the register-train it is capable of being moved into or out of engagement with a wheel upon the arbor of said escapewheel by a movement of said bar. Opposite to the rear end of the bar 0 is placed an electro-magnet Q, which is connected with a source of electric energy, and such connection opened or closed by means of or through the stop device that releases or arrests the operative mechanism for vibrating a balance, so that upon pressing the button E of the latter the current is cut off from said magnet and said bar is free to be moved by a spring 0 so as to cause the wheels N and K to mesh and the registering-train to act, while when said stop device acts to arrest the motion of said balance-vibratin g mechanism it also opens the electric circuit and causes said magnet to move said pivoted bar in an opposite direction and thereby breaks the connection between the vibrating reed and registeringtrain, when the latter will instantly stop. The hands of said registering mechanism are set at zero by means of the well-known de vices employed for such purpose, which devices are operated by a push-button R.

In the use of the mechanism a balance is placed in position and its vibrating mechanism released and the registering mech anism simultaneously started, after which both will run until said balance has made the predetermined number of vibrations, when their motions will simultaneously cease. The time required for the completion of the re quired number of vibrations of said balance will depend upon the weight of the latter, being less where the weight is light than where it is greater; but whatever the time required such time is accurately noted by the registering mechanism in such fine divisions as to render easy the detection of very minute differences in the lengths of time covered by single vibrations of different balances.

It will be seen that the higher the rate of vibration of the reed the finer will be the divisions of time shown by the registering mechanism and the smaller the error in the balance which can be detected. It is practicable to secure twenty thousand vibrations of said reed per minute, which will enable an error in the balance of one second in twentyfour hours to be shown.

For testing hair-springs precisely the same mechanism is employed as that described, except that a standard balance instead of a standard hair-spring is secured upon the balance-arbor and provision made for the ready attachment and removal of the hair-springs to be tried.

\Vhile the reed is preferably vibrated by electricity, the principle of its operation will be the same if a current of air or other means is employed for producing such motion, such principle being the utilization of the absolutely synchronous movements of said reed for the measurement of time and for actuating and controlling registering mechanism or controlling such mechanism when otherwise actuated.

The mechanism described is not claimed herein, the same being the subject of a separate application for patent filed February 13, 1890, Serial No. 340,320. The same apparatus we herein show and describe is also shown and described in our application filed simultaneously herewith, Serial No. 324,821, and one filed February 13, 1890, Serial No. 340,321.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. The method employed for selecting watchbalances or hair-s 'n-ings, which consists in vibrating the same a given number of times in connection with registering mechanism that is controlled by a vibrating reed, substan tially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The method employed for selecting watchbalances or hair-springs, which consists in vibrating the same a given number of times in connection,respectively, with a standard hairspring or watclrbalance and noting the length of vibration by a vibrating reed-controlled registering mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. The method employed for measuring the relative lengths of vibration of watch-balances or hair-springs, which consists in causing the vibrations of a reed having a given pitch to actuate or control aregistering mechanismthat is connected with the mechanism used for giving mot-ion to such Watch-balance or hair-spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. As an improvement in the selection of the balances or hair-springs of a Watch-movement, the method of controlling the movements of registering mechanism, which consists in causing a reed to vibrate at a predetermined pitch and communicating the movements of such reed to such registering mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing We i 5 have hereunto set our hands this 16th day of September, 1889.

GEORGE E. HUNTER. FRED I-I. OORTHELL. Witnesses:

W. H. CLOUDMAN, W. P. HEMMENS.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 437,203, granted September 30, 1890, upon the application of George E. Hunter and Frederick H. Gorthell, of Elgin, Illinois, for an improvement in Method of Adjusting Watches, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: In line 35, page 2, the reference letter h should be N, and'in line 51 same page the reference letter K should be is; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein to conform to the papers pertaining to the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, conntersigned, and sealed this 7th day of October, A. D. 1890.

[SEAL] oYnUs BUSSEY,

I Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Oountersigned:

O. E. MITCHELL,

Commissioner of Patents. 

